As Seen on TV

So this is one of my all time favorite things!!  I don't know why, but I LOVE all things "as seen on TV".  I'm sure it means something regarding the way I am wired and might make a great case study
for a therapist!

One of my dear friends is a regular recipient of these potentially life changing items.  I mean, what
bacon lover doesn't want the BACON BOWL!  The Ped Egg is nice for someone who wants smooth feet but doesn't want to pay for a pedicure.  The miracle Sealer for those nasty cracks in your favorite flower pot.   

One of my other favorites is the vacuum hair cut product.  I have NO idea how it works, but just run the thing over your hair and not only do you get a precision haircut, but it vacuums up the mess! The "one size fits all" tummy flattener is a nice one, or the nose hair and unwanted hair removal system could be the ones for you.  

Who needs the eye doctor when you can receive 20/20 vision from the $19.99 pair of night vision glasses.  Or make your own French fries with the French fry potato slicer!  However, one of my huge favorites is the Slanket, the blanket with sleeves! You might be wondering what the difference is between the Slanket and the Snuggie.  Well .... I'm here to tell you that the Slanket is WAY better!  The snuggie is a "knock off"!  Just ask the Internet, it never lies.  Even more exciting....I just saw the Siamese Slanket!  for you and your significant other.

Oh, and the miracle water hose that expands and shrinks up to save you from having to roll the hose up after every use? It's AWESOME!!  Until it bursts because the water pressure is too high.  

I feel like someone is becoming a millionaire sitting in a back room coming up with these products that people like me buy, whether they "work" or not.  How hard can it be?  

Anyway ... I have absolutely NO life lesson with this post!  I'm sure there is one, I'm just too tired to think about one.  Plus, every now and then, I just have to write a nonsense blog!  

The next time you really NEED something, check the aisle of As Seen on TV first.  You just might find something that will work and it will cost you a lot less!

My Christmas letter!

My Family (minus their rents!)

I NEVER send Christmas cards or update letters, etc.  Just not my "thing".  However, now that I have a blog, I thought I'd write a "Christmas update blog". There continued to be changes and difficult times this past year, but in the midst I have seen God's hand and protection & provision for me and others in my life.  So, here we go .......

1.  Most people here only know me as the girl who keeps having surgery!  Let me assure you, I do NOT like nor want to have anymore! : )  I would not change my athletic career, but I am definitely paying for it now.  I had a major fusion in my lower back just as the new year began.  It was pretty awful.  Thankful for good friends and co-workers who helped, made food and came to encourage me (even though I almost threw up on one!)  

2.  One of my dearest friends moved.  I hate change and this kind of change I probably hate the most. But I am thankful for God's provision for her as it was a major change for her in many ways,  and .... its not too far away!  

3.  I developed and taught a brand new course this semester.  Always tough when you don't know what it will look like and there were certainly challenges that will result in some changes for next year,  BUT, it was one of my favorite classes ever to teach!  (social media in sport)

4.  We moved my dad from PA to MI over a period of months starting this summer.  It's time for my brother, his family and I to take care of him.  So he is now living with Scott and his family.  He is adjusting.  Wow, its hard when roles change but God has been gracious to us.  Oh....and, DOWNSIZE PEOPLE, DOWNSIZE!

5.  I lost my second German Shepherd : (  She was my first dog.  I rescued her in VA when she was 7 weeks old.  Sweet pup, but stubborn!  haha.

6.  A Friend of mine was moving and could not keep their 2 year old dog...... yep ...... I adopted him. Did I mention he's a SMALL dog?  Oh my ...... never thought I would have a small dog, but he has won my heart and keeps me warm!  Pretty sure I have gone from "favorite neighbor" whose shepherds NEVER barked, to "most annoying neighbor" whose new dog doesn't stop barking!

7.  Still teaching at Cedarville.  Love my students and our major!  Taking 10 of us to the Dominican Republic over spring break in March.  We will be working with a community holding mini sports camps for kids, working on a construction project and hopefully meeting up with some professional baseball players for a day.

8.  Big news:  started my doctorate.  It may kill me.  Just finished my first class and will be taking two more this next semester.  It will be a Dr. of Education in Sport Management from the United States Sports Academy.  I will be finished in ..... well ..... umm ..... let's just say, a few years!

9.  Did I mention a surgery?  No, not THAT one.  Needed to fix a hip issue that was getting in the way of my recovery from the other one.  So just had a scope done a few weeks ago and feeling a lot better.  After 4-6 months of rehab, I should be good to go!  

10.  and number 10 ....... my first nephew is a senior and will be graduating in June!  WHAAATTTT!!!  in honor of him, let me share a picture of days gone by.

and lastly ...... but most importantly .... I am thankful for all that God has done IN me over the year.  I am still lazy and don't read my Bible enough, praying is not always my first instinct, I still complain about things I can't change and I still struggle over things that have happened in my life and in those I care about.  But, God is patient.  He is gracious and faithful.  He continues to heal my heart and soul.  

As we get ready to celebrate our second Christmas holiday without my mom, I am not only reminded of how much I miss her, but continue to be thankful for all I have learned from her and for her Godly example of trust and faith in God.  I also can't begin to fathom the celebration she is experiencing in Heaven!

Merry Christmas

Taboo Subjects

Not only in light of recent events, but also because of some things I have been thinking about for awhile, I have some thoughts on taboo subjects.  The definition of taboo, according to Merriam, is "not acceptable to talk about or do".  When we are little kids, our parents teach us that picking our nose in public, burping or worse, talking in class, etc. are "taboo" things to do.  We each probably have our list of things we didn't talk about. Either because that is just the way it was or how that generation of parenting was done.  But that isn't really where I am going with this.  My issue is with the Church and our Christian organizations today.

My desire is not to get into a theological discussion of what Church is for or what it is not for, or who's job it is to confront and talk about these taboo topics.  I grew up in the church and around a Christian organization and think I have a pretty good handle on what they are for and their role.

Whether it is because of this generation's ability to talk about difficult subjects or because our society is in such turmoil that we all feel the need to talk, it is clear that (in my opinion) we need to step up. What are those taboo subjects?  Depression, suicide, physical, mental and sexual abuse, homosexuality (other then to say its wrong), death and its affects on those left, racism, alcohol (again, other then to take a specific stand in certain settings) to name a few.

These are real issues that do not need the platitude responses that they usually garner.  Nor do they need the fighting over that we often find in our churches about what the Bible says or doesn't say about them.  Nor do they deserve silence.  This is not an attack on all churches and Christian organizations.  A lot of them are having difficult conversations and getting involved in people's lives who are experiencing these things.  My issue is simply about the silence, ignoring or denying they exist.  Don't forget, this is just my personal opinion and thoughts! : )

We either don't talk about them because we have never experienced them and don't know how to, or they are just uncomfortable. Or worse, we don't want to get our hands dirty to walk through life with someone who has experienced one of these.  Life is messy, so is sin and its results and consequences.  Jesus walked though life with messy people.  I trust, admire and want to be like those people (even in my own life) who have chosen to do messy.

If we don't talk about them, engage in them, address them and do something about them, we are only going to, as they say, repeat history.

If not IN THE CHURCH, then where can we talk about these things and do something about them? Its not comfortable.  Its sometimes scarey.  I'm scared at times.  But its time to stop denying or ignoring bad things happen or are happening.  Its time to talk and engage people who are hurting and experiencing these real life situations.  Its also time to stop being silent.  It doesn't really matter where we all fall theologically - we certainly aren't silent on THAT.  It matters that people are hurting INSIDE the church as well as OUTSIDE.

It matters that people are struggling with depression and effects of abusive relationships (yes, it happens in the church).  It matters that people struggle with homosexuality.  It matters that people live in poverty.  It matters that racial inequality & injustice exists.  It matters that we, as Christians, divide ourselves in groups based on what WE believe about specific topics, theologically or otherwise.

I don't know the answer totally.  I don't even know what I am to do, other then to love others, get messy and try to help others.  But I do know this:

It's time to talk about taboo topics in churches and christian organizations......and to DO something about them.

On a lighter note........one more paper and I am finished with my first doctoral class!  Well, maybe that isn't a lighter note! haha

Marking our territory!

JACK is my new dog.  I've never had a small dog before, much less a male dog!  We won't go too far into that subject!  However, it is amazing how much he can hold in his little bladder so that he can spray every single pole, tree, bush, fire hydrant, etc. in a 5 block radius!

Really....is it THAT necessary to mark his territory?  In fact, it isn't his territory, but he is putting his scent everywhere he thinks he should.  I guess so that all other dogs know that he was there.  What an interesting tactic.  I wonder if its to keep other dogs away from what he thinks is his.

I wonder how often WE "mark our territory" with opinions, beliefs and things that ultimately don't matter in light of eternity.  We fight over interpretations, different beliefs that don't make a difference as to whether we will spend eternity in heaven or not.  We are dogmatic, stick to our guns and often use scripture to "prove" our points.  Don't get me wrong, there are lots of scripture that are very clear on a lot of issues.  But where there is not, we huddle in our groups, mark our territory and don't fellowship with those who don't agree with us.  Often when we do this, we leave our smell on people and they are turned off by it.

What is the answer?  My simplistic mind says to love God and love others.  Its not easy.  Drop the theological fights that don't matter and come together for a common goal:  loving others and bringing them to Jesus.  They don't come when they see us fighting.

Back to JACK ... he has small dog syndrome.  He thinks he's big stuff, barks light crazy at all dogs and people from my window.  He doesn't back down.  Maybe its time he does ...

Faith, Hope & Love

No, I am not getting this tattoo, however cool it is!  All my friends can relax now : )

FAITH- I have questioned where God is.  I have questioned why He would allow my mom's life to end the way it did.  I have questioned why He would allow my friends to be hurt, wrongly accused and their lives to be up-rooted.  I have questioned why I have had to suffer so much physically.  I have questioned why ALL the pain and difficulty in a short period of time.

While circumstances have caused my faith to waver at times and question God, it has not been severed.

HOPE - a few years ago it seemed as if life began to pile struggle after struggle on my head, finally culminating in my admission of needing help.  Every anchor in my life was disrupted and it has altered my life.  There were times when I felt like hope was a distant memory.  In those times I clung to the truths I knew would anchor me from God's Word.  That He will never leave me, that He loves me, that He is my Rock.  That hope is anchored in the Cross.

While circumstances caused my hope to dim, it was never severed.

LOVE - in the midst of these trials, my head has not doubted the Lord's love for me.  Because of the simple fact that he died for me and because of that, I can spend eternity, undeservingly, with him in Heaven.  

The love of family and friends is a security that I am not sure I could live without.  God should be enough but He also created us to be relational beings.  There have been a few of these friends, who are like family, that have walked difficult and fun moments with me.  We have shared each others hurts and rejoiced in each others victories.

While circumstances have changed "doing life together", either by death or location, it has not severed that love.  Because it is grounded in Jesus.

"And now these three remain:  faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love."

Growing up the "coach's daughter"

One of the reasons I went into the profession that I have is because of my dad.  There are both negative and positives growing up the way I did.  EVERYONE knew who you were.  EVERYONE knew what you did.  EVERYONE had certain expectations of you.  EVERYONE had access to my mom and dad.

When I was younger, I didn't know any different.  Our house was always full of people, whether it was missionaries or people visiting BBC, or more often then not, my dad's players.  (by the way, that clearly didn't come in handy in the dating world, as I am still single!) My dad traveled almost all summer with the Defender 5, a group of basketball players who used sport as a ministry.  Sometimes our family went with them, but more then not, we didn't.  And as anyone growing up with a parent who coached, you know what the season is like!  But this was our life and it impacted me a lot.

I watched my mom serve, cook for all the boys, take care of us three kids while dad was gone, go to my games, go back to school and all of the other countless things she did to minister to others.  To be honest, there were times when I didn't like the fact that dad was gone so much.  I wanted him at MY games.  But I watched him use sport as a ministry and that also became my passion.  I knew in middle school that I wanted to do something similar.  I saw the lives that were encouraged and impacted by what he did.

Now that I am older and watch "his guys" from afar, often times on Facebook, I am thankful for a mom and dad who followed the path God had for them.  Sure, other people influenced these men and women, but I am blessed by hearing how my dad played a part in their lives.

My 80's college reunion is happening this weekend.  I will miss the big party, but hopefully can see some friends over the weekend.  But as I am watching some of these guys come back and go see dad and write such kind words about him, it makes all those times when he was gone or at a game, worth it.  It also is a reminder to me to thank those who influenced me (or tried to!) as I was in college and afterwards.

So thanks to all my "big brothers" who have stopped by to say hi to dad or have written kind notes.  I will make sure he sees them.

It was a SHARP marking pen!

Today I went for an MRI for my hip, as well as an injection, to help diagnose what exactly is wrong and what we need to do to fix it.  I am pretty claustrophobic and did not look forward to another closed MRI experience.  I usually take some drugs to help with the potential panic attacks that might occur.  But, alas, I did great!  No sweating, no images of being enclosed and trapped in a machine that will continue to close its walls around me, and no hyperventilating.

That may have been because I had a warm blanket, earplugs, headphones with country music playing and a wash cloth covering my eyes.  Not to mention the tech lady checking in every few minutes.  Or, we can chalk it up to the prayers and pleadings on my behalf to the Lord.

Now to the headline of this post ...

I am then ushered into a small, operating-type room where I have to have an injection while using the ex-ray machine.  This is so that the doc can make sure he gets the needle/tube into the right spot in my hip and release the medication.  Of course, being my sometimes funny self, I am joking around with the doc and nurses.  30 second time-out here:  my friend who drove me (more on that later) said she could hear me laughing when they opened the door to the hallway!

They prep my skin and all of a sudden I twitch and tighten up thinking he had stuck a needle in me to numb the area.  Yeah......that was just the marker marking the spot where the needle needed to go in! I insist, as they are all laughing, that it was a really sharp pointed marker and that maybe they needed to get a softer one for the next person.  The doctor clearly acknowledged his need to warn me next time anything touched my skin.

I live through the experience, leave my new friends and head out to the waiting room.  By this time I am starving and in great need of coffee, so we head out to breakfast before heading home.  I didn't understand why I couldn't have driven myself, although I admit that the company was nice to have.

After a few minutes I figure it out ...  my entire thigh from hip to top of knee is numb!  I guess they figure it wouldn't be a good idea if people drove in that condition.

So all in all, I lived through the experience with minimal discomfort.  That is until the numbing wears off!

Oh, and my dog JACK likes sweet tea.  How could I know that while resting outside and recovering from my rough morning that he would start drinking out of me glass of tea?  Good thing he didn't leave any backwash.